Whether they knock on your front door or call you on the phone, there are plenty of scammers looking to defraud the public, especially around the holidays.
Around this time last year, the City was made aware that a number of Denton residents had received calls from scammers claiming to be solar companies and partners of Denton Municipal Electric (DME). You should be cautious if you receive such a call as DME and the City do not partner with solar companies and these callers are NOT contacting you on our behalf.
Here are a few guidelines you can follow to help protect yourself against these and other scams:
Use caution when responding to solicitations claiming to be partners of DME and/or the City of Denton, especially those that offer free trips, money, or other valuables.
Be alert when it comes to emails, calls, texts, or door-to-door salespeople requesting you to provide personal information, money, or to sign documents. Do not provide personal information if you don’t trust the source.
Carefully research the companies you do business with. For example, after major storms, disreputable roofing companies have been known to steal down payments or install substandard materials. Protect yourself by getting recommendations from friends and neighbors or by calling the Better Business Bureau.
Hang up, look up the official phone number of the company, and call back. If someone calls you claiming to be a partner or representative of DME or the City of Denton, you can call the official phone number for the City’s Customer Service at (940) 349-8700 and be confident that you are speaking with an appropriate representative.
If you suspect that you have been the target of a scam, call the Denton Police Department non-emergency line at (940) 349-8181.